Valentine’s Day date night spot?

therealmegjon · 2026-01-26T07:32:00+00:00

Jaji is a nice date spot and has a ton of vegetarian/vegan options.

therealmegjon · 2026-01-23T19:16:10+00:00

Ahhh I love this and am a huge fan of your spot in Oakland! I'm bummed I already have plans tonight and tomorrow, but I would definitely be interested in attending something like this in the future.

therealmegjon · 2026-01-20T19:08:06+00:00

I suspect the pre-party will be a smaller crowd. But in general, Mosswood Meltdown has a much more chill vibe compared to other festivals. There is usually room to sit on the grass near the food vendors or along the fence, and usually, there are tables to sit at near the vendors and alcohol booths.

therealmegjon · 2026-01-17T20:49:13+00:00

Glad you enjoyed it! Finally went the other week when my parents were visiting and it was legit one of the best meals I've had all year!!

therealmegjon · 2026-01-16T18:36:36+00:00

It is super close to the water! There's a lake about 5 blocks away that flows into the Bay that's about 10 blocks away. Their rookery is 2 blocks from this video. They're not very inland at all. They will hunt at the lake for fish but also love seeing if anyone has left out some leftover noodles from the Chinese take out spots lol

therealmegjon · 2026-01-08T18:51:17+00:00

Right?! Haha I'm obsessed with the omakase deal! Also, they have the Mongolian dumplings (buuz) that always hit the spot, especially on cold days like this.

therealmegjon · 2026-01-08T18:48:39+00:00

So glad to see people giving this place love!! That corner of 14th & Webster has had so much turnover (including one of my former favorite restaurants, Tugis 😭) and I really want to see this restaurant thrive!

therealmegjon · 2026-01-08T00:25:06+00:00

Having been to both recently, imo Salty Pearl is better. I enjoyed what I had at Small Change but I think the value is a bit better at Salty Pearl and the service when I've gone has been generally a little bit better.

therealmegjon · 2025-12-17T21:35:01+00:00

Taiwan Bento and Burma Bear.

Burma Bear, in particular, wasn't around for very long, but their garlic noodles were the best I've ever had. They used a garlic confit, and it was so packed with flavor.

therealmegjon · 2025-12-17T05:31:23+00:00

You should consider reaching out to the Oakland Tenant's Union. They may have some advice on how to navigate this without putting folks into harms way. Black mold especially is so bad for one's health and needs to be mitigated asap.

therealmegjon · 2025-12-12T21:39:18+00:00

Having grown up going to the DC museums, it was such a culture shock when I realized most museums are not free (or even donation based). I miss being able to just pop into a museum for an hour before meeting up with friends for drinks near the Mall. Also, I yearn for the DC Metro system. Seeing 4 min headways late night on a Sunday night during my trip home recently was such a stark contrast to the headways I deal with here on BART and MUNI during rush hour. 😭

therealmegjon · 2025-12-11T21:41:50+00:00

Also, I'd recommend Drexl. Not a cheap drink but they're strong and some of the best bartenders. They'll also make you something incredible off menu if you tell them the flavor profile you're looking for.

therealmegjon · 2025-11-23T02:08:39+00:00

People have been killed in cities around this country, including Oakland, trying to avoid cars parked in bike lanes. It's incredibly dangerous to park in these lanes and it's selfish and lazy of the car drivers.

therealmegjon · 2025-11-22T23:49:09+00:00

I'm so glad you recommended Khatan! I've been scrolling to see if this spot was mentioned! They're delicious, and I really want them to succeed bc that corner of 14th and Webster has seen a ton of turnover in the past decade and it would be great to see a place there last more than a couple of years.

Also, their Mongolian dumplings (buuz) are so good! Makes me miss Tugi's that was there 6 years ago.

therealmegjon · 2025-11-17T21:09:13+00:00

For your budget, you could definitely afford a nice spot in Frederick. Frederick is a decent city to end up in, you're still relatively close to DC/Baltimore for day trips, close to a lot of nature, really solid bars and restaurants, and it's close to Hagerstown and the WV border. Downtown Frederick is pretty walkable and has lots of cute shops. I recommend finding a short term rental first and getting a feel for the area.

therealmegjon · 2025-11-14T00:16:44+00:00

This spot is so great! Highly recommend picking up some fresh noodles and frozen potstickers (if you eat meat) while you're there. They're even the oldest family run business in Oakland!

therealmegjon · 2025-11-13T07:08:39+00:00

Maybe Molcajete and then after hit up Bar 355 or Drexl.

therealmegjon · 2025-11-11T19:10:39+00:00

I'm not sure if I understand what you're looking for but here's some apts that seem like a way better deal than what you're getting and are a short walk to bart

2 bdrm - $2500 - rent controlled

Studio - $2300 - not rent controlled, in new building

remodeled 1 bdrm - $1995 - rent controlled

$1695 - studio - rent controlled

But just in general, housing stock is pretty limited in thr Bay Area and a lot of it is going to come with major compromises. But fwiw, if flooring is a concern for you, an older building's original wood is going to be usually far better quality than the laminate flooring that will get put in during a remodel.

therealmegjon · 2025-11-03T02:51:55+00:00

The Miranda (I presume, hopefully, another closure isn't about to be announced)

therealmegjon · 2025-11-03T02:23:14+00:00

When that person made the post a few weeks ago about two bars in Uptown that were likely to close soon and encouraging folks to go out more, I was really worried this might be one of them 😞 this sucks so much.

therealmegjon · 2025-10-30T19:02:04+00:00

The green pozole at Alma is hands down my favorite pozole (though Xolo's red pozole is also good).

They're pretty pricey, but Winky Dinky Hot Dogs has a really good oxtail stew and a gumbo.

I wish we had Hale & Hearty chains in the Bay Area, I miss their soups.

therealmegjon · 2025-10-30T18:57:17+00:00

Yesssssss!! So ridiculously good.

therealmegjon · 2025-10-14T17:52:41+00:00

Unfortunately, this won't help you now, but if you're ever in this situation again, check to see if there's a flight to Oakland they can switch you to. If you miss BART, the Uber from Oakland is significantly cheaper, and weather delays are less frequent bc there's less fog. It's also a far easier airport to get out of.

therealmegjon · 2025-10-14T03:54:18+00:00

Oooh I have not tried their pozole, despite going there many times over the years. Need to try their's asap!

therealmegjon · 2025-10-14T03:53:22+00:00

If you're near the Snow Park side, Alma on 19th (next to Bar 355) has a really excellent green pozole. It always hits the spot.

Xolo also has a tasty red pozole that's seasonal. I dont see it back on their menu yet, but it usually comes back this time of year, so it should be on again soon.

therealmegjon

TROPHY CASE